In what is becoming an all-too-common occurrence, Caitlin Clark was violently attacked by an opposing player on the basketball court.
On Saturday, Clark and the Indiana Fever faced off against her college rival, Angel Reese, who plays for the Chicago Sky. The game was a hard-fought one, literally. Chicago Sky guard Chennedy Carter scored late in the third quarter. As the Fever prepared to inbound the ball, Carter left the player he was guarding, ran over Clark and slammed her to the ground, calling her a “bitch.”
Chennedy Carter scores a goal and gives Caitlin Clark a shoulder to lean on.pic.twitter.com/nQxkw1rvhH
— ✶ Ⓜ️ ▶️ ✶ (@_MarcusD3_) June 1, 2024
Carter was immediately penalized for the foul, and Clark was questioned about it after the quarter ended.
“Yeah, that was not a basketball play,” Clark said, “but I’ve got to play through it and that’s what basketball at this level is all about. I thought we played really physical. We missed some bunnies around the rim, so hopefully we can nail it in the fourth quarter.”
After the game, Carter was asked about the attack on Clark.
“I will not be answering any questions about Caitlin Clark,” she said.
Chennedy Carter said of her interaction with Caitlin Clark in the third quarter: “I’m not going to answer any questions about Caitlin Clark.”
Full Clip: pic.twitter.com/4bRnyXgPjV
— Matthew Byrne (@MatthewByrne1) June 1, 2024
Clark correctly states that the hit on Carter was not a basketball play. It is wrong to say the hit is emblematic of “this level” of basketball. No, unprovoked assaults are not part of basketball in the WNBA, NBA or any other level. Clark has been the victim of hard fouls multiple times throughout the season. The fact that the WNBA allows its biggest star player to be viciously beaten is more than shameful.
And even if the league can’t be persuaded to act on the morality of what’s happening to Clark, they should at least be motivated by the fact that if Clark gets injured, all this renewed interest in their very awful league will quickly disappear.
If not, the Fever will have to hire some thugs to protect their star.
